1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a music theory training system, and more particularly to automatic ear training apparatus for use in the training of students in some music theory.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One method for teaching basic music theory requires that a tutor with sufficient ear training work with students in drill sessions to detect and indicate pitch and rhythmic errors made by the students. Since the purpose of ear training is to sharpen the perception and judgment of sounds made by the student, rarely can the student teach himself effectively. If a group of students is assembled whose recognition of pitch and rhythmic differences is good, but whose correction of errors is lacking, and these difficulties are not severe, one teacher may drill the group with reasonable success. However, a student having considerably more difficulty than his classmates does not benefit greatly from such a class, and is better taught individually. In classroom drills, the individual student cannot have confirmation of correct or incorrect responses except for the most blatant errors, which should already be obvious to the student. More subtle mistakes, perhaps only suspected by the student, or not perceived by the student at all, will pass uncorrected in this situation.
Unfortunately, individual tutoring often is not available. Such ear training drills are extremely time-consuming and are most often beneficial only on an individual basis. It can be seen that these drills constitute very ineffective use of the time of the music teacher. Although ear training magnetic tapes are available for use in drilling students, they can do no more than indicate errors within the perception of the student, and they are also unable to correct student responses, and hence have limited value in unsupervised ear training. One way of better utilizing the presence of a teacher for this particular type of exercise is by use of an interactive musical training device.
Heretofore, electronic devices for use in training musical students have been disclosed. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,991,648 to Karpowicz, 3,919,913 to Shrader, 3,905,269 to Doerksen and 3,610,086 to Decker, all disclose electronic music teaching devices.